Hi folks, just finished a draft of our companies quality policy and would quite like some opinions please. :)

Quality Policy:

XXX Ltd is dedicated to being the world leader in the provision of live and on-demand digital TV delivery solutions.

Through our commitment to the needs and expectations of our customers, employees and shareholders we will continue to lead and innovate in providing systems and services that fully fulfil our customers needs, develop our employees skills and deliver the financial performance our shareholders expect.

Our commitment to comply with our management system, to meet and exceed our targets and goals and our ongoing review of these will ensure that XXX Ltd continue to lead, in our sector.

Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets.

Boring, common and typical, but then again there's only so much you need to do.

Do you SERIOUSLY want comment?

"World leader in the provision of" - says nothing about quality, everything about pushing for market share.

"will continue to lead and innovate in providing" - more market share stuff

"to meet and exceed our targets and goals" - targets and goals for what? more market share?

"continue to lead, in our sector" - still more market share

"Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets." - except for gratuitous invoking of "ISO 9001:2000 management system" nothing here says much about Quality. I have absolutely no idea of what "continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets." means. I suspect few others will, either.

Yep, way too wordy

Your policy looks like it was produced by the Dilbert Mission Statement Generator (http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/games/career/bin/ms.cgi), but then so does just about everyone else's, so you should be OK.:D

I like to see a quality policy tell what you plan to provide to your customers: Quality? Value? Flexibility? Service? Satisfaction?

ISO 9001:2000 5.3 says a quality policy includes a commitment to comply with requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS, and should provide a framework for establishing and reviewing quality objectives. I don't see where you've done that.

I like to see a quality policy tell what you plan to provide to your customers: Quality? Value? Flexibility? Service? Satisfaction?
Is there any company, anywhere on earth, that wouldn't at least claim to do all of that? Quality policies become insipid motherhood statements because everyone claims to "strive" for all of those wonderful attributes, with the effect being that employees are forced to "understand" and swear allegiance to a policy that no one cares about. Look at it this way: If your company's written quality policy suddenly ceased to exist, would it have any effect on the way you do business ?
ISO 9001:2000 5.3 says a quality policy includes a commitment to comply with requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS, and should provide a framework for establishing and reviewing quality objectives. I don't see where you've done that.
This represents an attempt by ISO to add some actual meaning to quality policies, and to that extent it's a good thing, I think.

What I gave above is pretty much what I have seen at every company I have worked for.

Anyone able to point me to any good examples here on the cove?

What I gave above is pretty much what I have seen at every company I have worked for.

Anyone able to point me to any good examples here on the cove?I don't have any good examples, because I'm not sure there is such a thing. The general purpose of these things is not to establish the company's position on quality (most are in favor of it, I suspect) but to satisfy the ISO requirement. In doing that, as jmp4429 pointed out, you'll need to include the things called for specifically in the standard.
Just a thought, though: If your policy, as written, is more or less the same as all the others you're familiar with, it sounds like what you're "striving" for is to be the same as your competitors, which contradicts the language of the policy.

XXX Ltd is dedicated to being the world leader in the provision of live and on-demand digital TV delivery solutions. Unlike some I feel this is ok. Quality has to have a purpose and it should be towards some benefit to the company in terms of profitability.


Through our commitment to the needs and expectations of our customers, employees and shareholders we will continue to lead and innovate in providing systems and services that fully fulfil our customers needs, develop our employees skills and deliver the financial performance our shareholders expect. A bit wordy and recommend you put it the other way round: We will continue to ....

Our commitment to comply with our management system, to meet and exceed our targets and goals and our ongoing review of these will ensure that XXX Ltd continue to lead, in our sector. A stronger link to the overall objective (market leadership), with maybe a hint to what areas the objectives will cover (On time Delivery, Right first time etc.)

Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets. Again a bit wordy but good commitment to CI.

I tried to keep it simple yet still cover necessary requirements. Because any employee has a chance of being audited and they need to know what the quality policy is in their own words, and what it means to them in how they do their job.
"XXX company will continuously strive to produce quality products that meet or exceed customer expectations, cost competitiveness, and timely deliveries-QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery) – through exercise of continual improvement,employee support, and customer communication.”

Quality products that meet or exceed customer expectations
Cost competitiveness
Delivery on time
Fairly common but they understand it, works for us. :)

As you might expect, mine was wordy. I disguised the company name for this quote.

This manual is a general overview of the quality philosophy and practices of XXX Aerospace. Our policies relate to an "interrelated community of affected parties."
(We recognize none of the entities listed exists in a vacuum, but each is directly or indirectly affected by every action XXX Aerospace takes. Further, XXX Aerospace is affected by actions any of the others make.)

Regulatory bodies and agencies (FAA, JAA, et al)
Customers
Suppliers
Employees
General Public
A major aspect of our quality policy is determining the responsibilities and functions of XXX’s management in formulating these policies, then creating and implementing procedures to carry them out.

We use a documented and objective process to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of each quality procedure in meeting or exceeding the expectations of each member of the "interrelated community of affected parties."

Our Quality Plan and Policy extend to XXX Aerospace operations worldwide.

We use to have some wordy problems also -
Now short, sweet and covers all requirements:

XXXX is committed to increasing customer satisfaction by continually improving the quality management process, thereby enhancing our stakeholders profitability.

Like I said, boring.

But then again, who really pays attention anyway?

"It's not personal, it's business" Vito Andolinni

At a former employer one of my first tasks was to help them develop a quality policy statement. What I found was that in the 1940's when the business was founded the founder had espounded a "Purpose Statement" to the effect that "We will provide our customers what they want, when they want it."

In my first months there I must have heard this statement made 50 times by employees from the hourly workforce to the President of the company, and the business was truly driven by this purpose.

My development of the "Quality Policy" became a no brainer, and yes Randy it was boring; but it was one of the few places I've worked where it really described the direction of the business.

Hi folks, just finished a draft of our companies quality policy and would quite like some opinions please. :)

Quality Policy:

XXX Ltd is dedicated to being the world leader in the provision of live and on-demand digital TV delivery solutions.

Through our commitment to the needs and expectations of our customers, employees and shareholders we will continue to lead and innovate in providing systems and services that fully fulfil our customers needs, develop our employees skills and deliver the financial performance our shareholders expect.

Our commitment to comply with our management system, to meet and exceed our targets and goals and our ongoing review of these will ensure that XXX Ltd continue to lead, in our sector.

Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets.

Chergh,

I got to tell you, when I read your Quality Policy I was some what Impressed. Like Paul Simpson, I think it is a good policy.

Then when you read the other comments - they have good feedback.

I wonder how Quality Policies make it through a Certification/Registration Audit, when after reading the Policy you have no idea as to the purpose of the organization. I have read a number of policies for manufacturing companies where I come away thinking the purpose is purely delivering service and meeting and exceeding customer expectations - that I do not even know what they manufacture.

I have'nt even gotten mine approved by Top Management yet, for a couple reasons (Scope of System - Design Or Not), but one of the comments was that of being "the Premier Source." The commentor said that everyone wants to be the best - but can't there be more than one good source? (Or is that - can't there be more than One Great Source?!) Which would you choose to provide a framework for establishing and reviewing quality objectives? Probably 'one good source' in establishing an objective so that we are 'One Great Source' when evaluating an objective.


Doug

I wonder how Quality Policies make it through a Certification/Registration Audit, I cringe at some of the rubbish I see on audit and often comment that it doesn't seem to be useful in setting the direction for the organization as far as quality goes or dynamic so people take the time to read it and believe in it but if the policy addresses the requirements of 5.3, as a 3rd party auditor there is only so much you can say.when after reading the Policy you have no idea as to the purpose of the organization. I have read a number of policies for manufacturing companies where I come away thinking the purpose is purely delivering service and meeting and exceeding customer expectations - that I do not even know what they manufacture.Good point, Doug. It is another area where their consultant gives them an identikit system that has "passed with a whole series of registrars" and actually means nothing for the client. I have'nt even gotten mine approved by Top Management yet, for a couple reasons (Scope of System - Design Or Not), Does this have to be in your policy - it has to be covered in the system but not necessarily in the policy. If design is so peripheral to the way of working that the CEO has to think if they want it in the policy then I suggest it shouldn't be in there. but one of the comments was that of being "the Premier Source." The commentor said that everyone wants to be the best Again my recommendation is that the policy should be bold - how else can you enthuse the employees? It does have to be realistic but who ever heard of someone aiming to be average?

The first draft of our quality policy stated that we intended to become 'the market leader', after consultation with BSI they asked how we could prove that we were the market leader, and we could not find any evidence to support our claim. Perhaps the auditor may have a problem with 'XXX Ltd is dedicated to being the world leader in the provision of live and on-demand digital TV delivery solutions'.

Just something to bear in mind...

P.S. Otherwise I think it's just fine. It's not easy to come up with an interesting quality policy statement!!

The first draft of our quality policy stated that we intended to become 'the market leader', after consultation with BSI they asked how we could prove that we were the market leader, and we could not find any evidence to support our claim.BSI should only be querying the policy if it is unrealistic. If you have no hope of being a market leader then a policy to be so is unrealistic so if as a 1 man band I have a policy of being the market leading bank in the world then that is unrealistic in my lifetime (I was going to use the example of a 1 man software house but I guess a certain Bill Gates has shown that can be done!).
However the likes of Toyota have mission statements that they want to be No.1, they aren't currently but few people can argue that they are not going the right way.

Otherwise I think it's just fine. It's not easy to come up with an interesting quality policy statement!! Agreed. I still think if it is going to be meaningful we need to try.

We currently are the market leader in terms of units in use in field, our lead times in supplying units and systems, our technology, the range of units and systems, are the sole suppliers of certain products, customers have indicated that our units are more reliable, and some other stuff as well according to our marketing material, we also have that we are the world leader all over our website and marketing material. This is still a relativley new market as well and only recently has shown good growth so we are expecting more competition

We don't actually manufacture anything, this is subcontracted out as the company decided it was good at desigining the products but not at building them. We build and install systems for our customers, do the R&D for new products and write the software and firmware for use in our units.

The management are still dithering as to what KPI's we intend to start off with, before we started aiming for ISO 9001 registration the only thing measured was finicial performance but we have educated the CEO and he is giving us excellent support and is begining to see the benefit by identifying other areas to measure and improve.

My intent with the policy was to show where we are and that we want to stay there (i.e. number 1). "Fully fulfiling our customer needs" was sort of a cover all intended to mean on time delivery, right first time, capable of meeting their requirements, I just didn't see the point in spelling these out as which companies don't want to deliver on time etc.?

"Our commitment to comply with our management system, to meet and exceed our targets and goals and our ongoing review of these will ensure that XXX Ltd continue to lead, in our sector. " This was there to fulfil parts of the criteria of 5.3.b and c.

"Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets."

This part was intended to fulfil part of 5.3.b but the "evolve" part was to show that as our market changes we will change and become better adapted and more survivable as we do, sort of a Darwinian thing.

I really would like to say thanks for the great feedback guys. :applause: , and I am going to make changes based on it. It's nice to get feedback from people who give you their opinions straight.

We currently are the market leader in terms of units in use in field, our lead times in supplying units and systems, our technology, the range of units and systems, are the sole suppliers of certain products, customers have indicated that our units are more reliable, and some other stuff as well according to our marketing material, we also have that we are the world leader all over our website and marketing material. This is still a relativley new market as well and only recently has shown good growth so we are expecting more competitionSounds like you are market leader. Your policy should be to maintain that position.

The management are still dithering as to what KPI's we intend to start off with, before we started aiming for ISO 9001 registration the only thing measured was finicial performance but we have educated the CEO and he is giving us excellent support and is begining to see the benefit by identifying other areas to measure and improve.Again the CEO shoud be able to see the link between the enablers (term from the EFQM Excellence model) what you do: On time delivery, Low rate of returns, low warranty claims, introduction of new products on time and with few glitches, quick response to enquiries etc. and the results - market share, customer satisfaction rating, repeat orders and ultimately profitability

My intent with the policy was to show where we are and that we want to stay there (i.e. number 1). "Fully fulfiling our customer needs" was sort of a cover all intended to mean on time delivery, right first time, capable of meeting their requirements, I just didn't see the point in spelling these out as which companies don't want to deliver on time etc.?Again no need to go into detail in the policy - it becomes a book but some link to the process of setting objectives is good so people can follow the trail if they are interested.

"Effective use of our ISO 9001:2000 management system shall ensure that we continually improve all areas of our business and shall continue to evolve in line with our chosen markets." Do you use "shall" in day to day language - if not I would recommend something like " We will continually improve all areas of our business and evolve in line with our chosen markets using our ISO 9001:2000 management system."

This part was intended to fulfil part of 5.3.b but the "evolve" part was to show that as our market changes we will change and become better adapted and more survivable as we do, sort of a Darwinian thing. Again good stuff.

Our previous policy was a whole A4 page of verbiage (though it did contain the 8 QM principles"

I boiled it down to;

"It is the policy of T.P.Moulding Ltd to provide its customers with high quality products, delivered on time, in order to achieve customer satisfaction.

T.P.Moulding aims to achieve the continual improvement of its products & services, by committing to the requirements of ISO9001:2000 & TS16949:2002 and continually improving the QMS effectiveness, through process control, supplier monitoring & development, effective communication, employee involvement and management commitment."

cherg

You got a lot of negative replies. I think the way to go is to first decide how you will (mostly) use the policy. You should discuss this with your boss. You can use it primarily for marketing (customers). In this case you can look at those Quality Guarantee tags you get on products or see in brochures/websites. You can have it as a more formal policy statement in lawyer type language (for the registrar). This then is like terms of contract or privacy stements on websites. No fun but says what it has to. Or you can target employees. In this case you can bullet it and make it easy to remember. Or you can do one annd release it before you start implementing your system to inform employees what and why you are doing iso9001. Remember, you can change your policy later. Don't worry about staff being "audited" and needing to know policy. They need to know according to their level. So if the factory floor worker don't know, no big deal. If the managers can't remember a policy document then they shouldn't be managers.